The Remains of Old Port Louis have till today been a subject of fascination to many, especially photographers, who find a way or another to reveal the extra-ordinary out of the ordinary. Old Churches, Colonial Houses, Maisons Creoles, Old Chinese Shops, Ruins of British-occupation… From a different point of view, Port Louis viewed from an …
The once magnificent Town Hall of Curepipe laid its first stone at its current location on the 4th of February 1902 by governor Sir Charles Bruce. The story behind the building somehow dates since earlier than the year of its foundation and construction at Curepipe. We must somehow understand that during the late 19th Century, …
Away from the buzz of urbanism, this little family of the 1970s living in a straw house somewhere in a village in Mauritius didn’t ask for much. This simple lifestyle was rather common in the years before and it could be said that living as such brought a different happiness. Probably if we try to …
For those who have been able to enjoy Port Louis in the 1970s will certainly remember this scene, when a lot of those old buildings still stood. On the bottom right we have the Port Louis Town Hall (the new one actually) and the Municipal Theatre on the bottom left. In front of the Town …
Found in the very heart of Mauritius, in Moka, Eureka is the ideal place to enjoy the inland beauty of the island. Behind ‘La Maison Créole’, colonial house converted into a museum and the picturesque green surroundings. The house was built by Mr. Carr, a british notable who wanted to be nearer to ‘Le Réduit’ …
Life in the past wasn’t the same for everyone, nor it is today also. There has always been different levels in society and how things are. On one side we had those who lived more at ease and those who had to struggle to achieve. This is a truth we can’t hide but the good thing …
After our first article about these old little beautiful wooden houses of the Mauritian past, we continue our quest for more of them still remaining here and there round the island in this second part. To say, these ‘maison creole’ / colonial buildings are indeed quite eye-catching in wherever region they are situated and get …
Since the Colonial times, the way houses were built was completely different from nowadays. At that time, houses were constructed mainly with rocks as the base and wood and some metal as the main structure. The architects of the time somehow managed to impress with the designs and symmetry achieved. With time, evolution brought concrete …
The State House or The Château of Réduit is the official Residence of the President of Mauritius. Originally Le Réduit, it was built as a fortress for defence against attack by Pierre Félix Barthelemy David in 1749. The mansion is in Réduit, Moka, near of the University of Mauritius and the end of the Plaines …
Curepipe during the ‘Far West’ days… The ladies gossiping, horse-carriages here and there and a lively animated street view. Days of the early development for the town of Curepipe and the upper lands of the country. Viewed like that we could picture a western movie taking place somewhere in the United States, or Europe. The …
Another magnificent Colonial/Creole Style house which also knew a sad faith is certainly that one of Forest Side in Curepipe, The Henri Fraise House, also known as the Mancini House. Existent since the early 20th century, this big house was among the best looking in that region. Later with time, the place became an ‘entrepot’ …
These old colonial buildings certainly dates back to the early British period and it is sad how they are no longer preserved as they should. Some are even at the point of crumbling down. La Chaussée street in Port Louis was among the busiest streets even back then and is still today and so many …
These wooden houses are disappearing little by little from the Mauritian Patrimony and soon to say, only a handful can remain. ‘Maisons Créoles’ as we know them have a completely different feel when you look at them or even happen to visit them. The dwelling experience can only be described by these owners, probably hard …